Controlling device



Dec. 23, 1930. sfw. JCNES 1,786,306

CONTROLLING DEVICE Original Filed April 12, 1924 57 I Am V VVVV Inventor: Benjamin W Jones,

His fktCowmey.

Patented Dec. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT ,OFFIICJE' BENJAMIN W, JONES, OF SCHENEGTAIDY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION'OF NEW YORK I provides a controlling device having CONTROLLING-DEVICE Original application filed April 12,1924, Serial no. 706,190. Divided' and this application filed December 12, 1925. Serial No. 75,111;

ent positions upon energization of the device dependent upon the preceding conditions of energization and deenergiza tion of the devlce.

More specifically, the present invention a plurality of positions and arranged to in erently assume and retain one position upon energization of the device after a substantial period of deenergization and another position upon energization of the device after only a momentary period of deenergization.

Another of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple and effective controlling device having a movable member which .is held in one position against the tendency'of an element to move the member to a second cation in systems for controlling the selective operation of a plurality of electric translating devices, such as systems for selectively controlling the lighting of lamps of dilferent candle power. 4

In carrying my invention into effect in a selective circuit controlling device for a plurality of electric translating devices and in the form which I now regard as the preferred the translating devices. .1

form, I provide an improved thermal responsive switching device which is operated to automatically switch from one translating device to another under the controlof some means for regulating the su ply of energy to he switchin device is preferably arranged so as to be biased to the circuit closingposition to which it is- I ergization of the translating device.

v For a better understanding of my invention, reference is had to. the accompanying drawing, wherein I have illustrated in very diagrammatic form an arrangement which I now regard as the preferred form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the translating devices to be selectively controlled are indicated as the lamps 10, 11, 12 and 13, the

lamps 10 and 12 being of comparatively high candle power and the lamps 11 and 13 of comparatively low candle power. The two lamps 10 and 11 comprising one set will ordinarily be located at some distance from the similar set of lamps 12 and 13, each set of lamps forming a single point of illumination. The set of lamps 10 11 is selectively controlled by means of the selective switching device14. This device comprises a pivoted switch member 15 which has a plurality of circuit closing positions, and which is biased to the position to which it islast thrown by means of a spring 16. Byrea'sonofthelocation of the pivot for the switch member 15, the connection of the spring 16 with the switch member and the point of connection of the other end of the spring, the arrangement forms an over-center device which operates to effect aquick closing of the circuit and to serve as a means for biasing the switch member in the position to which it is last thrown. The switch member is operated from one circuit closing position to the other underthe control of the thermal responsive element 17, which is indicated as a bi-metallic thermostat heated by the resistor 18 thermally related therewith. The switch member in the position indicated in the drawing is arranged to complete the circuit for the large lamp 10 and thus establish an energizingcircuit for this lamp from the secondary of the transformer 19 included in the circuit of the supply conductor 20. The electromagnet 21 is provided for magnetically holding the switch member in the position shown so that during the time in which it is desired to have the comparatively large value of illumination, the switch member will be magnetically held in position and thus practically eliminate the effects of jars and shocks in open ing the circuit of the large lamp 10. In the other POSltIOII of the switch member, the large lamp 10 is deenergized and the small lamp 11 is energized. The lamps 12 and 13],

- in which the lamps are energized from the -vent the switch member from being thrown are controlled by a similar selective switch-v ing device and-I have indicated this in the drawing to disclose the fact that the invention is applicable to the control of any desired number of sets of translating devices.

It will be observed that I have indicated I the system as an alternating current system secondaries of current transformers, although I would have it understood that the invention is not necessarily lim iRd to an alternating current system, since the invention is equally applicable to a direct current system, as will be understood by those skilled in the art from an understanding of the invention.

As thus constructed and arranged and with the parts in the respective positions shown in the drawing, the operation of the invention is as follows:

Upon closing the disconnecting switch 22, which is employed to regulate the supply of energy to the supply conductor 20, the amps 10 and 12 will receive energy from the supply conductor and the thermostats 17 and 23 will be heated responsively to the current taken'by their respective controlled lamps. Inasmuch as lamps 12 and 13 are controlled in a manner identical with the control of the lamps 10 and 11, I shall describe merely the operation of the selective switching device 14. When thethermostat 17 is heated by the resistor 18, it will flex and attempt to turn the switch member 15 clockwise about the v pivot of the switch member against the action of the. biasing spring 16 and against the holding efiect of the electromagnet 21. As long as the supply of energy to the lamp 10 continues, the electromagnet 21 will preto its other circuit closing position by the thermostat.

In order to extinguish the large lamp 10 and energize the smalllamp 11, the disconnecting switch 22 will be opened, thereby de-' energizing the lamp 10 and the holding electromagnet 21. By reason of the fact that the thermostat 17 is flexed and will retain its heat for an appreciable interval, the flexing force of the thermostat prevails to act-on the switch member 15 and turn this switch member clockwise against the action of the biasing spring 16 until the switch member is over center. When the switch member is thrown over center, the biasing spring 16 takes control of the same and operates the switch member quickly to the circuit closing position and holds the same in that position. The interruption of the circuit for the large lamp 10 and the completion of the circuit for the small lamp 11 will take a very small interval of time, so that if the switch 22 is again closed after a brief interval, the lamp 11 will'receive energy instead of the lamp 10. The current through the lamp 11 passes through the resistor orother heating device 18, so that the thermostat 17 is again flexed, but the flexing of this thermostat produces no effect on the operation of the switch memv her at this time. However, if the disconnecting switch 22 is again opened, the thermostat lwill attempt to straighten due to the cooling thereof and thus operate against the biasing action of the spring 16 to turn the switch member 15 counterclockwise about its pivot. When theswitch member is moved over center, the biasing spring 16 will take over the operation of the switch member and cause the switch member to be moved quickly to the position indicated in the drawing, ready for the next operation. Y

It will be apparent from the above that by a proper operation of the disconnecting switch 22, the thermal responsive selective device 14 will be caused to automatically select the desired illumination. If, for any reason. the supply of power should fail, and the selective switching device thus operate to establish a selection not desired, the operator may very quickly establish the desired illumination by the operation of the disconnecting switch 22. Thus, the disconnecting switch 22 may be located in a power house and under the control of the attendant for the electrical apparatus therein. Under. some conditions, it may be desirable to have one set of lamps in the power house so that .the

attendant can at all times determine the illumination which is present in a system, which may be located at some distance from the power plant.

It will be observed that in case the switching devices for any reason do not all respond similarly to the opening and closing of the time all of the switching devices which are not in the position shown on the drawing will be automatically returned thereto by reasonof thecooling of the thermostats. Thus, even though the synchronous operation of the switching devices does not proceed as intended during the night, the switching devices Will all be in similar positions ready for correct initial operation the following night,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A thermal responsive device comprising a member movable between two positions, an electromagnet for holding thesame in one of said positions, and a cooperating thermal responsive element arranged to be heated upon energization of the electromagnet for giving the member a tendency'to move out of said position, whereby upon the deenergization of the said electromagnet the said member is moved to its other position.

2. A thermal responsive device'comprising a member movable between two positions, means for biasing the same to each of said positions when operated thereto, a thermal responsive element for effecting the operation of said member between the said positions,

and electrical heating means for the said. element arranged to be heated in each of said positions of the member and to cooperate with the said member to give the member a tendency to move from the first of said positions to the second due to the heating of the element and to give the member a tendency to move from the second position to the first due to the cooling of the element upon deenergization of said heating means.

3. A thermal responsive switch comprising aswitch member movable from one position to a second position, an electromagnet connected to be energized in the first position of the switch member for holding the same in the first position, and cooperating thermal responsive means arranged to be heated upon energization of the electromagnet for giving the switch member a tendency to move out of the said first position, whereby upon the deenergization of said electromagnet the switch member will move to its second position.

4. A circuit controlling device having a switch member movable between two circuit closing positions, a controlling element enerized in each position of the switch member or giving the switch member a tend ency to move from the first position to the second position and to effect the operation of the switch member from the second position to the first position when deenergized, means 5. An electroresponsive device comprising a member movable between two positions, electrically heated thermal responsive means for insuring operation of the member to one of said positions when said means is initially deenergized after a substantial period of energization and for insuring operation of the member to the other position after a substantial period of deenergization of said means, and circuit controlling means associated with said movable member for energizing said thermal responsive means in each of said posit-ions.

6. An electric device-comprising a member mounted to be moved between a plurality of positions, and cooperating electroresponsive means, one for holding the member in one position upon energization of said cooperating means and the other for moving the member therefrom to a second position upon deenergization of said cooperating electroresponsive means, the said other electroresponsive means being effective for holding the member in said second position upon reenergization of said other means only within a limited time interval after the deenergization thereof.

7. An electroresponsive device comprising a member movable between two positions, electromagnetic means for holding the memo5 ber in one of said positions, and thermal current responsive operating means for the movable member connected to be heated in accordance with the energization of said electromagnetic means for insuring operation of the member from said one position to the other position upon deenergization of said means, responsive to the heating of said thermal responsive means during the energization of said means and for insuring the re turn of the member to said one position upon the cooling of said thermal responsive-means.

8. In combination, an electric switch, and electroresponsive operating means for biasing the switch to one circuit controlling 100- 1 sition when said means is deenergized for a substantial period and holding the switch therein upon reenergization of saidmeans, said means including an electrically heatedv elementfor effecting operation of the switch in; to another circuit controlling position for a limited time interval after deenergization of said means.

9. A thermal responsive device comprising a member movable between a plurality 12o her to prevent movement thereof until after a predetermined variation in the encrgization said means. 10. A thermal res onsive device comprising a member movab e between two positions, a thermal responsive element normally controlling the movement of the member between said positions, electrical means for holding the member in the first position against the tendency of the thermal element to efiect movement of the member to the second, position, electrical means for controlling the temperature of the thermal element and means associated with the movable member for rendering said temperature controlling, means effective to maintain the member in the second. position upon operation thereto.

11. An electroresponsive circuit controlling device comprising a switch member movable between two circuit closingpositions, a thermal responsive element operatively con.-

'nected with the switch member to move the same to one circuit closing position when theelement is at one temperature and to tend to move the switch memberto the second circuit closing position when the element is. at a higher temperature, electrical means for heating the element sufficiently to cause the switch member to tend to move from the first position to the second circuit closing position,

and an electromagnet connected to be ener-. A

gized-simultaneously with said heating means and arranged to hold the switch member in the first position until deenergization of the electromagnet.

12. An electroresponsive circuit control-. ling device comprising a switch member movable between two circuit closing positions, a thermal responsive element operatively. connected with the switch member for operating the same to the first; circuit clos- 1ng position when the element is at a certain temperature and to tend to move the switch member to the second circuit clos'ingposition when the element is at a higher temperature, electrical means for heating the element sufficiently to cause the switch member to'tend to move from the first circuit closing position to the second circuit closing position, an electromagn'et for holding the switch member in the first circuit closing position against the tendency of the thermal, element to move the member to the second position,- andconnections controlled by said switch member whereby the electromagnet energized simultaneously with said heating means when the switch member is in the first circuit closing position and the said heating means is v separately energized after operation of the switch member to the second circuit closing position.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of December, 1925.

4 Y BENJAMIN'W. JONES. 

